Sony 85 mm Lens Comparison

For some reason, I'm drawn to medium telephoto lenses like a moth to flame. A focal length of 85-90 mm is, to me, ideal for landscapes in rugged terrain, since a narrow FOV emphasizes mountains with respect to the foreground. It's also a nice length for portraits and closeups, although probably not the same lens.

I have four lenses in this range at my disposal - Leica Summicron 90/2, Zeiss Loxia 85/2.4, Zeiss Batis 85/1.8 and a Sony 90/2.8 Macro. The Sony menagerie includes an 85/1.8 G and 85/1.4 GM, which I don't have, and will leave to others to evaluate. I did not test the Summicron 90 at this time. It is large, heavy, and has a distinctly different color rendering (less saturated) than Sony/Zeiss lenses. I used a Sony A7Riii for this comparison. The sample images were taken from the corner of the image, shown below in the original resolution (100%). Focusing was manual, repeated for each aperture to avoid any focus shift effects. I also used a tripod, because camera shake is the limiting factor, even with image stabilization.

The Loxia 85/2.4 is clearly the winner for corner resolution at all apertures, followed by the Sony Macro and the Batis 85/1.8 in that order. I also like the Loxia for landscapes and corner-to-corner sharpnes, but also because it is manual focus, and the same diameter (2-5/8") as other Loxia lenses. That makes it easy to carry in a small "day" bag for a stroll in the woods or garden. It is not what I would recommend for photos of active children, nor perhaps adults considering the shallow depth of field.

The Batis is probably just as sharp in the center, and it is faster by a stop and auto focus, able to follow motion very well. It is actually lighter than the Loxia by about 125 grams, but 3.5" in diameter. Although manual focus is by wire, FBW is very well-implemented on Batis lenses, and easy to control.

The Sony 90/2.8 Macro is very large, and heavier than the other two lenses. It is one of Sony's sharpest lenses in the center, but suffers somewhat in the corners at longer range. If you need a macro for a Sony, this lens is s good choice. It's okay for landscapes, but takes as much space as two Loxia lenses. This lens has mechanical manual focus, but the action is too quick for practical use. It will FBW in manual mode (an undocumented feature), which is much more tractable.

The original photo should show that none of these lenses is a slouch in the resolution department.